Fullerton, Calif. (Tuesday, May 28, 2013) – Chivas USA defeated the LA Blues, 2-1, Tuesday night in the Third Round of the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Stadium. Playing a goal down after the Blues’ George Davis notched his first-half goal, the Rojiblancos came back with two unanswered scores on goals by Carlos Alvarez and goalkeeper Dan Kennedy. Chivas USA will now await the winner between the LA Galaxy and the Carolina RailHawks for their June 12 Open Cup Fourth-Round match.

The Rojiblancos got into the box and began peppering the Blues’ net from both flanks, as Giovani Casillas got off a shot from his left mid position in the third minute and Miller Bolaños let off a strike of his own from the right side of the box in the eighth.

The Blues took the early advantage in the 11th minute when Davis worked the ball down the right seam and got off a shot from inside the right of the box that was deflected and bounced into the net past Kennedy’s left.

Chivas USA’s attacking players continued to get into range and took a pair of free kicks in the 23rd and 26th minutes. Forward Tristan Bowen’s shot from about 25 yards out sailed over the crossbar and Alvarez’s pass into the mixer from the right wing toward the back post was broken up by LA’s defense.

The Red-and-White evened the match in the 52nd minute when Alvarez worked the ball down the middle of the attacking third and found Bowen on the left side of the box, who then returned it to Alvarez near the penalty mark. With his back to the net, Alvarez created space for himself, turned and beat Blues keeper Aaron Perez to his left toward the lower right corner of the net.

The Rojiblancos extended their lead to 2-1 when they were awarded a penalty kick in the 59th minute when Bolaños was taken down near the short area by Perez in a collision when both players made their run for the ball. Bolaños was slow to get back on his feet, and three minutes later, Kennedy knocked in the penalty kick with his right-footed strike.

Kennedy afterwards came up huge on the defensive end when he turned away two dangerous looks by the Blues. In the 69th minute, Kennedy came way off his line to meet a one-on-one Blues breakaway and prevent the equalizer. Two minutes later, the Red-and-White net minder made a one-handed diving save to his right to turn away a shot near the short area that was on frame.

The Goats looked to extend their lead deep into regulation, as midfielder Jorge Villafaña – who entered the match to start the second half – unleashed a strike from behind the arc, but the attempt sailed wide and high to the left. Bolaños nearly found the third goal for his side deep into stoppage time when he worked the ball into box with a defender battling for ball possession from behind, but his shot was turned away by Perez, as the final marker remained locked at 2-1.